Many hospitals across the nation are still in dire need of ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) like gloves, masks, and gowns. The dwindling supply of PPE and a shortage of life-saving ventilators hits home in Cochise County. “Our local hospitals contacted us (Cochise College) and expressed an urgent need for supplies and ventilators,” Bethany Hill, Cochise College Director of Nursing said. “It is very important to us that we help our community partners and provide any help we can.”
Without any hesitation, Teresa Vernon, CNA coordinator, Nickie Dannels, MA coordinator, Melesa Ashline, Nursing laboratory/simulation coordinator, and several other college staff members quickly gathered PPE and ventilator supplies and provided these to the hospitals. Ten ventilators were also loaned to the healthcare facilities.
Additionally, faculty and staff in the college’s science department collaborated with food services, athletics, and the Benson and Willcox Centers to help address the shortage of PPE in Cochise County. With approval from administration, department chairs, and deans, hundreds of boxes of face masks, gloves, and gowns were collected and provided to several local facilities, including Canyon Vista Medical Center, Copper Queen Community Hospital, and Benson Hospital.
Before becoming a nurse administrator, Hill worked as a nurse in the emergency department for more than 20 years.”We need to make sure the nurses and other frontline healthcare workers are protected and stay healthy so we can beat this pandemic,” Hill said.
“I was very concerned about the frontline staff. These are our alumni and our community,” Hill added. “I was thrilled that the college administration and my colleagues swiftly took action to provide all the supplies we could. It is so comforting to know as a community, we can come together and help each other during this crisis.”
The college continues to explore other ways to assist the county. “We will do what we can to support our community. Many of our faculty and staff have expressed their willingness to help during this critical time of need,” J.D. Rottweiler, Cochise College President said. “Contributing in this way speaks to our mission of leading through constructive citizenship.”
The PPE delivered to Canyon Vista Medical Center
Staff members gathering supplies
Giving PPE supplies to hospital staff